Teel Time: Hokies' Greenberg confirms hiring of Ehsan

Virginia Tech basketball coach Seth Greenberg confirmed Saturday what had been clear for more than a week: Former Maryland assistant Rob Ehsan is joining the Hokies’ staff.

Results will tell, but Ehsan appears an excellent fit to replace Adrian Autry, who left Virginia Tech for a similar position at Syracuse, where he was an All-Big East guard.

Ehsan, a 2005 graduate of Cal-Davis, spent six seasons on Gary Williams’ Maryland staff and strengthens the Hokies’ ties to the fertile Baltimore-Washington, D.C., recruiting corridor. Current Tech assistant James Johnson, a former aide to Jim Larranaga at George Mason, also has myriad connections in that region, home to former Hokies such as Jeff Allen and Malcolm Delaney.

New Maryland coach Mark Turgeon did no retain Ehsan when he took over for the retired Williams. But Ehsan was the Terps’ lead recruiter on Justin Anderson, a wing from Montrose Christian in Rockville, Md., and Rivals.com’s No. 23 prospect in the class of 2012.

Anderson, who plays for Hampton-based Boo Williams during the spring and summer, committed to Maryland in March but reopened his recruitment after Gary Williams’ retirement. Ehsan undoubtedly will attempt to sell him on Tech, although Anderson appears now to favor Virginia, one of his original finalists along with Maryland and North Carolina.

Boo Williams’ team practices this evening in Hampton, and I’ll be there to ask Anderson where he stands with the Cavaliers and Hokies. So look for updates tonight here on the blog and on Twitter at DavidTeelatDP.

Ehsan’s hiring becomes official Wednesday, the day his Maryland contract expires, Greenberg said. Greenberg continues to search for an operations director to replace Dennis Wolff, now Tech’s head women’s coach.

A possible candidate may be Andy Moore, a former assistant at Eastern Michigan and Michigan.